Welcome to Mind Gym guided meditation.
Today we are going to use a technique of body scan.
Practicing this technique builds our awareness of the body and the sensations that appear in it.
Sensations have been proven to have a close link to the thoughts in our mind and emotions that rise with it.
When we become aware of our sensations,
It helps dissolve the emotion that generated it.
This also relaxes the body and mind.
The goal is to train the mind to be more open and aware of sensations and ultimately be more accepting.
With time and practice,
The body scan will build your ability to focus and be fully present in your life.
Sit comfortably,
Keep your back erect but not tense and gently close your eyes.
Relax your jaw,
Your shoulders.
Try to feel warmth in your heart.
Think of a time when you were a kid and completely taken care of.
Try to experience that feeling of nothing to worry about,
Nowhere to go.
Now let's start with a few belly breaths.
Belly breath is simple and is known to calm the mind.
Belly goes out when you breathe in and goes in when you breathe out.
Let's do about five belly breaths on our own.
Breathe in,
Belly out,
Breathe out,
Belly in.
Now let's begin to scan the body without any judgments.
You may become aware of gross sensations more easily like pain,
Heat,
Cold.
But awareness of subtle sensations comes with practice.
It's okay if you feel anything and it's okay if you don't.
Just keep complete equanimity.
That is the key to this practice.
Let's begin now by bringing our attention to a circle right at the top of the head.
Be fully aware of any sensations you can find and gently scan the top of the head.
Now slowly bring your attention down the face.
Scan the forehead first,
Then the eyes,
Then the cheeks,
Nose,
Lips,
Chin,
Your ears.
Make sure you've scanned the face properly.
Now slowly trace your attention down the neck.
Now let's scan the left shoulder and then go down the left arm slowly.
Upper arm,
Elbow,
Lower arm.
Be aware of your hand.
The top and then the palm.
Each one of the fingers,
One at a time.
Now trace your way up the arm slowly while being aware of the sensations.
Now we will move to scan the right shoulder,
Then go down the right arm slowly.
See if you can find any sensations,
Gross or subtle.
Tingling,
Pain.
Trace your way down the arm slowly while being aware of the sensations.
Be aware of the hand,
The top of the hand,
The palm,
Each one of the fingers.
Slowly trace your attention back up the arm.
Remember whatever the sensations might be,
Pleasant or unpleasant.
Just observe them with complete equanimity.
Now let's feel the chest area.
Scan it part by part.
Look for any tightness,
Any tingling.
Now let's go down to the abdomen.
Do you feel any tightness?
Relax the areas if you feel any tightness or knots.
Now scan the pelvic area intently.
Now let's start with our left leg.
Trace your way down the leg slowly while being aware of the sensations.
Make sure you are scanning the front,
The sides and the back of the thighs,
Then the knee,
Then the lower leg.
Then slowly move your attention down to the left foot.
Do you feel any tingling or throbbing?
Be aware of those toes one at a time.
The top of the foot,
The bottom of the foot.
See if you can be aware of any sensations,
Gross or subtle.
Slowly trace your way up the leg.
Now let's start with our right leg.
Trace your way down the leg slowly while being aware of the sensation.
See if you can find any tingling or pain.
Maybe sensation where your thigh contacts the area you are sitting at,
Then go down to the knee,
Then the lower leg.
Slowly move your attention down to the right foot.
Be aware of the toes one at a time.
The top of the foot,
Then the bottom of the foot.
Try to catch any sensations.
Try to be observant of any sensations,
Tingling,
Pain,
Tightness.
Now trace your way up the leg slowly.
Now scan the hip area.
Then trace your attention up the back,
The lower back,
The spine area,
The upper back,
Part by part.
Then the shoulders.
The right shoulder,
The left shoulder.
Can you feel any tightness,
Any pain?
Now go up the neck and the back of the head to the spot,
The top of the head where you started from.
We just did a body scan.
You can keep sitting and repeat the scan a few more times if you would like.
Thank you.
